“This is going to be a long post because it’s something that has been weighing heavy on my heart.
My whole life I’ve been searching for happiness, while forcefully suppressing who I really was, moreso, who I really AM. My opening line with close friends and family for the past month or so has been “so, I’ve been living a lie all my life”… I felt that was the best way to break into an honest conversation of telling my friends, family and love ones that I’m gay.
The fear of letting the world know, the sleepless nights I’ve had thinking of how this will affect my family, friendships or sponsorships… It made me into a very unhappy and depressed person because the weight of carrying this “secret” became increasingly heavier by the week.
In having these heart to heart conversations, not one person expressed a single negative thing. Instead, they were happy and relieved a “Happy Perris” was finally here and present. I was reminded that I owed the world no explanation or announcement. That if I wanted to, and when I wanted to, I should do it my way.
I’m telling you this not for acceptance or comment, but to share my story of inner peace, relief, happiness, clarity and kindness. This is the hardest thing I have ever faced. Thank you to my family and friends who knew and still accepted me, for me. For the first time ever, I’m extremely excited to live my life FREE and to be wholeheartedly ME ♥️?️?” – Perris Benegas
